OUTLINE I. Introduction. In society today the term “warrior” is used loosely and sometimes even associated with an athlete training for a specific event. By the fourth century B.C., Sparta designed a culture solely for training soldiers, a warrior culture. The problem with the design of a warrior culture is not in the fighting capabilities of the group, but in the artistic legacy that was lost during the life of a fighting culture. II. Body. 1. Historical Background a. Prior to the Messenian War b. After the Messenian War 2. Training a. Age and Sex b. Way of life 3. Politics a. Women in Sparta b. Constitution c. Lycurgus 4. Significant Battles a. Battle of Marathon b. Battle of Thermopylae c. Battle of Plataea d. The Peloponnesian War 5. Sparta without a war a. Shortcomings b. Battle of Leuctra 6. Summary III. Conclusion The training regiments and social structure of the Spartans were geared towards building the strongest men and nation physically, but without the artistic and political training, the warriors or Sparta were unable to bring the Grecian empire together. History remembers so much from the philosophy teachings of Socrates and the Athenian paintings, dishes, and sculptures, but little is remembered about the other superpower in Greece and of the warriors of Sparta. THE SPARTAN WARRIORS In society today the term “warrior” is used loosely and sometimes even associated with an athlete training for a specific event. By the fifth century B.C., Sparta designed a culture solely for training soldiers, a warrior culture. The problem with the design of a warrior culture is not in the fighting capabilities of the group, but in the lack of an artistic legacy that was lost during the life of a fighting culture. Prior to the forming of the military community of Sparta there is evidence of a society rich in culture. Archaeologists have found vase paintings depicting fish, snakes, plants, and kings. The illustrations on the dishes of Sparta showed increasing skill in drawing of human dimensions and animal characteristics. The city-state of Sparta had been formed as a cultural center that produced not only pottery but was noted for its festivals of song and dance as well. Other types of craftsmanship included wood, metalworking, weaver, and leather. The Spartan culture would soo... ... middle of paper ... ...cago, Illinois:Rand McNally, 1970) Dryden, John. Translation. Plutarch: The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. (New York, New York:Modern Library, dt unk) Hale, William H. The Horizon Book of Ancient Greece. (New York, New York:American Heritage Co, 1956) Hawkes, Jacquetta. Dawn of the Gods: Minoan and Mycenaean Origins of Greece. (New York, New York:Random House, 1968) National Geographic Society. Greece and Rome: Builders of Our World. (Washington, District of Columbia:National Geographic Society, 1968) Preston, Richard A., Alex Roland, and Sydney F. Wise. Men in Arms: A History of Warfare and its interrelationships with Western Society. (Belmont, California:Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001) Reuben, Gabriel and Sheila Schwartz. How People Lived in Ancient Greece and Rome. (Chicago, Illinois:Benefic Press, 1967) Tomlinson, R.A. Argos and the Argolid: From the End of the Bronze Age to the Roman Occupation. (Ithaca, New York:Cornell University, 1972) Warry, John. Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors, and Warfare in Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome. (Norman, Oklahoma:University of Oklahoma Press, 1995)
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5. Lesley Adkins, Roy A Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, Oxford University Press, 1998. (pg. 304)
The development of an empire is a change strongly emphasized in the Archeology as a radical departure from the Hellenic tradition, and consequently a major source of conflict among the Greeks. Prior to the adven...
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Sparta was a militaristic society in ancient Greece that became mighty and powerful after defeating its rival neighbor, Athens, in the Peloponnesian War. The Spartan culture was centered on filling the military needs of the polis, and the laws of the land were developed and written by Ly spectacles, who established this military-oriented overhaul of society. Because of Lycatius, it was then decreed that at the young age of seven, Spartan boys left home and entered military training where they mastered the skills of battle until the age of thirty. The women of Sparta also had certain rules and laws to follow that were set by Ly spectacles. In this essay, I will argue why Spartan women were more dominant in society than other Greek women.
In ancient Greece, Spartans, or the Lacedaemonians, as they called to themselves, were considered to be the greatest army in the land. This reputation was achieved from multiple things. Spartans were well known for the agōgē, their rigorous military training. If you were a healthy male in ancient Sparta you were to forced to join. Many other Greek city-states were envious of Spartan war stories and of Spartan glory in battle, courage and honor. Most importantly, the other Greek poleis became aware of Sparta’s military’s power through firsthand experience of fighting alongside the Spartans in the Persian Wars, and later fighting against them in conflicts like the Peloponnesian War. Sparta’s reputation was built upon the brutality and intensive training that their young boys and men had to endure.
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The lives of Spartan men, women, and children that constructed the great city state of Sparta is astonishing and eventful. Spartans were viewed as barbarians in most cases and many believed their core was war itself. This may be true and could condemn a civilization not focused on the greater good of the society but, in its prime Sparta was different. War fueled the Spartans and would create a ripple in history in remembrance of their prowess and fearlessness.
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Because of the tranquil times, the civilization’s society had more time to focus on writing, math, astronomy, and artistic fields, as well as trade and metallurgy. Out of all the city-states of Greece, two excelled over all the rest, Sparta and Athens. Even though they were the most advanced and strong civilizations, they were bitter enemies. While Athens focused mainly on the people’s democracy and citizen rights, Sparta were ferocious and enslaved its original inhabitants, making them unable to leave and kept under a close eye to prevent insurgence (History of Greece:The Golden Age of Greece). Additionally, Sparta had strict and trained soldiers that underwent intense physical exercising and instruction.